The overall purpose of the Data Management and Statistical Support Core will be to provide program project researchers and trainees with coordinated and sophisticated data acquisition methodologies and data quality management services, expert statistical and methodological support and training to investigators and regional biostatisticians/data managers and archiving of research and surveillance data to facilitate the conduct and sharing of center project research. This core will be critical to the successful implementation of the center's activities and will leverage shared resources, methodologies, and personnel to reduce costs and increase efficiency across the center of excellence. Data and statistical services will be provided by a well established and NIH approved data management and statistical support center located in Kampala and sentinel site outposts in Uganda. The specific objectives of the core will be: 1) to provide sophisticated data acquisition systems and data quality management services to insure the timeliness, completeness, accuracy, uniformity, and security of collected surveillance and clinical and research data, 2) to provide expert statistical and methodological support for the design, monitoring, and evaluation of the center of excellence research projects and trainee research projects, and 3) to engage in data management and statistical capacity building through training of local and regional biostatisticians and data management specialists utilizing workshops and electronic distance learning.

Public Health Relevance

The Data Management and Statistical Support Core will provide essential access to proven operational models and identified best practices in data management and statistical support to Center research projects via its well established data management center in Uganda and Center of Excellence program faculty, allowing for reduced costs and increased efficiency through shared resources and methods.